Their thoughts on presidential politics, the Black Lives Matter movement, and what can be gleaned from movements of the past.

February 26, 2016

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On Wednesday night, Ashley Williams, a black queer organizer living in Charlotte, North Carolina, interrupted a private Hillary Clinton fundraiser. Williams, elbowing to the front of the audience, unfurled a sign that read “We have to bring them to heel,” a line from Clinton’s now-infamous 1996 “super-predators” speech, recently cited in Michelle Alexander’s article on the Clinton legacy for The Nation.

As Williams demanded that Clinton apologize for mass incarceration, voices in the crowd muttered, “You’re a trespasser” and “That’s inappropriate, please.”

Clinton fumbled for a response, ultimately landing on “Do you want to hear the facts or do you just want to talk,” and “You know what, no one’s ever asked me before. You’re the first person to ask me, and I’m happy to address it, but you’re the first person to ask me, dear.” Clinton then turned back to her audience, as Williams was escorted out of the event, relieved to be able to “get back to the issues.”

The Nation spoke with Williams on Thursday afternoon about confronting Clinton, what they’re looking for from a presidential candidate, and their thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement more broadly.

The transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

How did you get involved in activism?

So I’m a black queer organizer, and I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I organize a lot of actions. I’m really interested in police accountability. We’re thinking about abolishing the police, as well as Black-Palestinian solidarity as well as climate justice and racial justice. I’m also a graduate student.

Are there any personal experiences that brought you into this kind of work?

I mean, I’m a person of color, and I’m a queer person living in the South, so it’s kind of hard to escape how these issues are affecting me in a very material way.

How did last night’s action come about?

We got into the fundraiser just like the rest of the folks who attended. There were paid tickets, and I interrupted Hillary while she was giving her speech.

What were you aiming to accomplish through this confrontation?

I wanted an apology from Hillary Clinton to black people, and I wanted her to acknowledge that the policies that she supported directly impacted folks of color in the United States in terms of mass incarceration.

And were you satisfied with her response?

No, I think that her response reflected Clinton’s inconsistency. But we know that she’s been inconsistent on these issues, and we know that according to her these are not issues that she’s interested in. She’s campaigning around this state right now, trying to get the black vote, and she’s going around saying, “It’s time to listen.” So she had an opportunity to listen last night, and she wasn’t listening.

What are you looking for from a candidate, at this point? Are you supporting any candidate in particular?

I’m supporting black people. I’m not supporting any political candidate at this point who’s running for president. But I will say that I’m for voters looking closely at the records of all the people who are running. And I want people to examine people’s records in terms of how they have or have not shown up for racial justice. I want them to feel confident in making important decisions from that point. I want candidates to stand by the things that they’ve said and the policies that they’re responsible for, and I want them to make sense of the things that are inconsistent.

Do you see past movements an inspiration or are they stifling today’s movement?

I think that the movement for black lives is learning from movements of the past. I think that we’re learning from the mistakes and from the successes of groups like the NAACP as well as the Black Panther Party, and I think that we are implementing the things that worked, and I think that we’re doing away with the things that don’t.

What do you look for from today’s movement?

I look for a safe place for black, trans, queer people to exist in and to resist in. I look for people who are of more dominant identities to be open to listening to those folks and hearing what they have to say. I imagine a movement that’s safe for those folks to participate in. And ultimately a movement that moves toward liberation and action.

I support Black Lives Matter. I also support (most) of what Ashley Williams said. Ashley is a graduate student. That's good. But will she realize that an entire generation of gay (homosexual) people rejected the name queer about 40 years ago? And will she ever realize that MOST straight folks will likely never be comfortable using this pejorative that some of the younger people have taken up? It sounds fucking stupid and immature.
A white, gay man 57 years old. Never a grad student.

(2)(7)

Jennifer Mcginnissays:

February 29, 2016 at 12:40 am

Walter, I'm sorry to hear you are feeling offended. but I don't think you speak to the sentiments of an "entire generation of gay" Boomer or GenX men. "Queer" is not a Millennial new term, the reclamation of the "slur" began back in the 1980's / ACT Up years. It was made official in 1990 when "Queer Nation" activist group was formed by men now in their 50's: Tom Blewitt, Alan Klein, Michelangelo Signorile and Karl Soehnlein. During the same time it permeated Academia w/ Queer Theory classes. The current young generation takes inclusion and language *very seriously* and the term "Queer" works to be both inclusive and gender fluid.

(8)(1)

600120729says:

February 28, 2016 at 1:46 pm

The difference between how Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton responded when black women interrupted them to make a point is stark.

Watch: https://youtu.be/w6rSbLzWayQ

There really is only one candidate who genuinely cares about issues that affect the black community and that is clearly Bernie Sanders. Why anyone continues to support Hillary Clinton is beyond me.

(10)(5)

Sher Thomsonsays:

February 28, 2016 at 3:35 am

I like Ashley Williams. I like her choice of venue in which to advertise Clinton's hypocrisy. Fortunately, her coldness and hypocrisy was also demonstrated by her response to Ashley Williams and her 'muscle's' response by man-handling William's body. It evoked Jim-Crow south.

I don't understand why so many blacks apparently voted for Clinton today, why they don't follow Ta Nehisi Coates and Harry Belafonte and read Michelle Alexander's article here and Jeffrey Sachs' article in the Huffington Post (February 5th; 'Hillary Clinton is the Candidate of the War Machine'. Why don't they realize that Clinton vociferously supported her husband's 'Welfare Reform Bill' which decimated any net for working families with children? Its effects are still harming this country's children.

I'm furious with media like NPR and the NY Times which assume that Clinton will be the nominee. I'm furious that so many women and blacks don't see Clinton's two-facedness.

(22)(6)

Andy Moursundsays:

February 29, 2016 at 1:01 pm

Buncha dumb black folks just don't know what's good for them. Gee, where have I heard that before?

(2)(2)

Jennifer Mcginnissays:

February 29, 2016 at 4:03 am

I've can tell there is good intent here & I do agree that Sanders has a better, more consistent record with civil rights for POC & economic issues for all poor/working/middle.
What I just can't get on board with anymore is how the white left cannot recognize the patronizing messages we dish out & have been cringe level in the Bernie campaogn. Count the use of "they," add a few "the blacks' add some lit recommendations & stir alienation. Just as no woman wants to be sent "to a special place in hell" as the anti-feminist because she won't vote Clinton by a bunch of men (can you imagine?!), no POC wants to be "the blacks" with a bunch of whiteys/part time librarians making ISBN references, mentioning Killer Mike or whiteys/historians yapping about " he marched w/MLK so he's better for you blacks" "what is wrong with the blacks?" Reality: we are white and raised in a racist country & pretty oblivious to ourselves. So try to insert a hostile factor, be it men,homophobes or GOP and prior to typing another "them" "they" or "the blacks" ask yourself "would I feel respected, as a thinking adult being addressed in this fashion? "

(2)(1)

600120729says:

February 28, 2016 at 1:58 pm

I share your sentiments, Sheryll. Very well said.

(1)(0)

600131684says:

February 27, 2016 at 1:21 pm

It's long past time someone hold both the Clintons responsible for their expedient destruction of Black lives whenever it served their purposes. What she said and did from the 90s basically until THIS campaign (there were definite "artful slurs" against president Obama when she ran against him in 08., though she has realized she needs the black vote now and is hoping for short memories. Good for Ms Williams. REMEMBER. Her record has many more aggressions against "the other" (from her POV as a wealthy white) than the her criminally opportunistic Iraq vote. She always was and remains a tool of the military-money-corporate America. Trump-lite.

(16)(2)

James Duselsays:

February 27, 2016 at 12:54 pm

Good for you, Ashley Williams! Keep demanding answers from those with power.

(12)(1)

Lois J Burnssays:

February 27, 2016 at 12:43 pm

Ashley Williams is a brave young woman trying desperately to express the frustrations and disillusionment felt by the disenfranchised and alienated people in our society. She was trying to make more Americans aware of the discrimination currently tolerated against law-abiding people who choose to lifestyles outside the mainstream of American public life. Why is there a problem with her concerns?

I can understand some having a problem with how and where she chose to bring forth her issues. But look at it from Ashley's viewpoint. If you have tried and tried to be heard with no attention being paid, you, as others have in the past, may choose more dramatic ways to be heard. How much more dramatic a choice could she have made than to attempt (before she was forcibly removed) to give the frontrunner of the Docratic Party the opportunity to apologize for her labeling and name calling of African American young men at the time the Clinton Crime reform Bill was under consideration during her husband's presidency - terrible and inexcusable names! Of course the response to Ashley was dismissive and rejective as she was escorted from the event. But she certainly received attention.
Ashley may be able to build on the attention; she may receive offers of assistance from sympathetic groups or individuals. But she DID get attention, televised nationally. More power to you Ashley. You area good spokesperson .

(10)(2)

Genevieve Beenensays:

February 26, 2016 at 5:08 pm

Someone need to ask Trump this question : Since you have said that when we kill the terrorists in other countries we should also kill their families -- I wonder if you would extend that form of justice to this country: When we kill a violent criminal who is a U.S. citizen, shall we also kill their families?

(11)(6)

Jennifer Mcginnissays:

February 29, 2016 at 12:47 am

What is the point of asking Trump and giving him a platform? Plus, his answer will be thoughtless rabble w/racism.

(2)(0)

Michael Maynardsays:

February 28, 2016 at 11:11 am

Would you want to hear the answer to that, and worse yet, to see how much support he would receive?